The Coming of the Doctor
by herbivore
Summary: Takes place immediately after DW Season 4 Finale and Merlin Season 2 Finale. The Doctor  with a few companions  ends up in Camelot! Doctor/Rose; Donna/Uther; Arthur/Gwen; hints of Jack/Merlin. Please review and I hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

BACKGROUND: Takes place just before the end of Season 4 DW Finale – when they're all in the TARDIS and the Earth has been restored to its original position. Doctor, Rose, Doctor .5, Doctor-Donna, Martha, Mickey, Sarah Jane, Jack, Jackie. Sarah Jane gets off the TARDIS with Doctor.5, Mickey, Martha and Jackie (who just want some breathing space) and rushes off back to her son. Suddenly, the TARDIS goes into havoc and begins to transport (ie, the only DW characters in this story are the Doctor, Rose, Donna and Jack). Merlin crew: just after the second season has ended (ie, after Kilgharrah's attack on Camelot)

DISCLAIMER: I know that Doctor-Donna (usually just referred to as "Donna") can't really exist, but hey… poetic license..? I own nothing.

"OOOOH WHAT NOW?" cried the Doctor as his home started to shake uncontrollably. He had just saved the entire universe and was well on his way to dropping everyone off (not that he was looking forward to that, of course) and the last thing he needed – especially with a forthcoming goodbye to Rose – was more trouble. He smacked the monitor directly in front of him, hoping to get some sort of signal, but all he saw was disturbance. "Most incredible machine in the universe and you cant even get a reading out of it!" he muttered, frustrated.

"Oi! Don't you go round insulting my baby!" growled Doctor-Donna

"_Your_ baby? Oh I'm sorry, I didn't know the TARDIS was _YOUR_ baby. After the 10 minutes you've spent in here…" the Doctor replied

Doctor-Donna walked up to him and smacked him promptly on the head.

"And _that_'s for giving me the lip. Just because I'm all Part-Space-Man … er Part-Space-Woman doesn't mean that I'm any less Donna Noble. God I don't even know how you focus with all these bloody noises in your head all the time!"

The Doctor sighed and gave up. With Donna, it was better to be quiet and let her talk. He looked around to see who was still in the TARDIS – or more accurately, who was clinging on to parts of it so that they wouldn't fall over. In the far corner, he saw Jack, who winked back at him. _That man is never going to change_, he thought to himself. Nonetheless, Jack certainly added to the tension in the room – he _was_ quite attractive. Shaking his head, his gaze then shifted over to the most pleasant creature in the room. Rose Tyler. Amongst all the confusion, all she did was hold on to a pipe near her and laugh – her blond hair covering her face. His heart swelled with emotion and he longed to rush up to her and hold her close. It was hard to believe that he could feel this strongly about someone. It was all sorts of wrong and the Doctor knew that it could never be. It certainly didn't help that Rose loved him. Rose happened to choose that moment to look up and caught the Doctor staring at her. She couldn't explain the feeling that passed through her – seeing him after such a long time being trapped in the alternate universe. Having another adventure with him. Heck, all that mattered to her was that she could be with the Doctor. _Her_ Doctor. All that mattered to him was that he could be with her – _his _Rose.

"_I know you're all excited to have her back but GET YOUR HEAD BACK TO EARTH. WELL BACK TO THE TARDIS. We are in a criiiisis here, or am I going to have to do all the work cuz I have your brain too?"_ Donna's thought sharply entered into the Doctor's head – he hadn't realized that he was telepathically broadcasting his feelings about Rose! Snapping awake, he came to the conclusion that no one else had yet –

"I hope you all realize that the TARDIS is no longer in motion," he stared at Donna, "So I suppose it's time to go outside and find out what's waiting for us! Allons-Y!"

With that, he grabbed Rose's hand and they leapt out of the Tardis – with Donna and Jack following closely.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Rose audibly gasped at the view. There, standing in front of them, was the most beautiful castle she had ever laid her eyes upon. Everything from the regal stone to the royal flags displayed on the top of each tower was breathtaking. She squeezed the Doctor's hand and looked him in the eye with a huge grin on her face.

"Where are we Doctor?" she asked

"I'm actually not quite sure … there's only one way to find out!" he replied with a smile equally as large.

"If that one way is to ask the only around here with _any_ idea what's going on, then yes. I agree. We're in CAMELOT silly!" said Donna. "That's clearly the Pendragon crest on the flags and the dimensions of the castle are approximately the same as the one that King Arthur Pendragon lived in. However, looking more closely at the flag, I'd say that his father Uther is in control of the kingdom right now – yeah that's his flag flying!"

"Brains and more," said Jack patting Donna's bum, "wonder what else you've got time for?"

"Hey Hey!" replied Donna suggestively.

"Wait! We can't walk into Camelot looking like this – Doctor, I suppose your suit will pass…. But Jack! You can't wear that leather jacket! Actually, both of you might look quite dashing in a suit of armor," Rose giggled.

"I am _NOT_ wearing a suit of armor Rose!" complained the Doctor, but allowed himself to be dragged back inside the TARDIS by her. About 10 minutes later, the four of them emerged looking like something from a royal party. Well, to be more accurate, the Doctor and Jack were out in two minutes – Jack wore a simple brown jacket and matching trousers. The Doctor went for something a little less subtle – wearing a cotton periwinkle blue shirt with a v-neck and a string linking together the holes in the "v" (showing his chest!) and dark blue trousers. Jack turned to the Doctor and winked at him – an action the Doctor returned. Donna walked out next in a flattering forest green dress.

"Are you sure I don't look like a tree on fire?" she asked Jack, questioning combining the green with her bright red hair.

"Not at all, milady!" he replied as he kissed her hand. The Doctor realized that he'd have to keep an eye on the two of them or else there might be trouble! He then suddenly lost his train of thought as Rose walked out. She was in a low cut dark red chiffon dress – emphasizing her slender figure. She looked – there was no other word for it – stunning. The Doctor's mouth fell open – how could someone look so perfect?

Rose saw him and grinned, "No need to drool Doctor!" and the Doctor promptly closed his mouth, "I look that good do I?"

"Ahem. You look beautiful Rose," mumbled the Doctor. A small part of his brain felt devastated as he realized that he shouldn't be here with her. That she belonged on an alternate universe and he was ripping a larger hole in the fabric of time and space just by being with her. A stronger voice in his head re-instated, however, that he was a Time Lord. He did so much for the rest of the world, it was ok if he took some time for himself. Dismissing all doubts he grabbed her hand as they ran to catch up with Donna and Jack.

"You know, Doctor, I'm surprised as to how calm you're being about this – I mean, you're acting like it's just another adventure when you _know_ that we shouldn't … _I_ shouldn't be here. Does this mean that everything's ok? That we can stay like this forever? Because," she stopped them both and looked at him, "it's what I want. And nothing, _nothing_ will change that."

Feeling uncomfortable, he replied, "I was just thinking that. As much as it pains me to admit this, it's _not_ ok for you to be here. But why ruin the mood? We're together after so long. It's _ok_ if we spend some together, right?"

"I love you," was all she could muster.

"I know," he smiled sadly.

"Oi, you two! Are you going to be whispering to yourself the whole time we're in _CAMELOT_ or are you going to catch up with us and get exploring?" came Donna's familiar voice. The Doctor and Rose caught up with the other two and they walked into the castle courtyard.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Gwen walked out of Arthur's room with a flustered look on her face – hoping no one, especially not Merlin, saw her. Arthur had asked her up there to "help make his room look nicer" but all they had ended up doing was messing it up more. She had walked in with a "Good afternoon, Sire," and Arthur had stopped her.

"Call me Arthur, Guinevere," he said as he kissed her. Lancelot was nothing compared to this, thought Gwen as she responded to him just as eagerly. He was a brave night and did indeed love her – and a part of her loved him, but with Arthur it was different. He brought out the best in her – and she him. Arthur picked her up, while kissing her neck, and laid her on his bed. For what seemed like hours, they lay next to each other in silence. With a slight movement, Arthur turned to face her.

"Will you stop looking at me like that?" said a playfully irritated Gwen. She knew that every time Arthur looked at her with his doe-eyed look (not to mention his piercing eyes), he wanted something. And more often than not, she would acquiesce.

"Like what?" posed Arthur, feigning ignorance.

"You know exactly what you're doing! No good lying to _me_ Arthur Pendragon!" replied Gwen.

"Oh Guinevere, you know me too well!" he chuckled to himself, "I was wondering if I could take you out for a meal sometime? I'd get a morsel from the palace sent over and we could have a candlelit dinner!" Gwen raised her eyebrows suspiciously. Arthur wasn't the most romantic and this was certainly _not_ his idea.

"Did Merlin suggest this to you?" she asked

"Was it that obvious?" Arthur scowled. He had hoped (in vain) that Gwen wouldn't have figured it out. But she was too smart for that.

"Yes it was," she chuckled, "but I don't mind! You tried, that's what counts. Anyway, Arthur, aren't you busy on this search for Morgana and with the reconstruction of the city? Are you sure you have the time to waste on a servant like me?

"Guinevere." He looked angry, "Don't _ever_ call yourself a servant. And I have all the time I need for the Lady Guinevere." He smiled. "Please?" She grinned back at him. How could anyone resist those beautiful eyes? Not to mention the gorgeous face and body that came with it.

"Alright, how does this Friday eve sound?" she suggested.

"Perfect!" he exclaimed. With that, he grabbed her neck and gave her a kiss.

After a while they realized that someone was knocking on his door. Hoping it wasn't Merlin – the boy _always_ chose the wrong moments to burst in on him – Arthur stumbled a "Who is it? I'm not dressed yet!"

It turned out to be a guard letting him know that he was summoned to the Banquet Hall as some important visitors had just arrived in Camelot. Putting his shirt back on and pecking Gwen on the cheek, he made an attempt to look more together (and failed) and walked out to hall. Gwen snuck out behind him, looking equally disheveled.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The Doctor, Rose, Donna and Jack ran into some guards almost immediately as they walked into the castle courtyard. Flashing them his psychic paper, the Doctor demanded to seek an audience with the King and they were taken to Banquet Hall. As the four wandered further and further inside Camelot, they realized that something was drastically wrong. The Camelot they expected to see, due to both the legend and what they had observed outside, was not at all what lay before them. The stones were scorched, bricks were lying in the middle of the corridors and every soul looked exhausted.

"What's going on?" Rose asked the Doctor, "has there just been some sort of battle?"

"I don't know," he replied, searching everywhere for clues. His pace quickened as he hastened to reach Uther Pendragon to find out what was going on. As they reached a large arched wooden door, they were asked to wait outside while, presumably, the King was being told of their arrival. A young man of approximately 22 ran past them, pulled open the door and slipped inside – followed by a woman (who was probably a maid because of the way she was dressed). Donna, Rose and Jack exchanged glasses – there was _nothing_ suspicious in their behavior – of course! The Doctor gave them a confused "WHAT?" and the three of them laughed and shook their heads. The Doctor was a genius but when it came to things like romance, he was all sorts of clueless.

The guards who had led them to the Hall opened the door and beckoned them inside as a third spoke, "Sir Doctor of Tardis, Lady Rose of the Powell Estate and Lady Donna of Chiswick." Jack looked around and waited for his introduction and the Doctor grinned cheekily and added, "And this is our manservant Jacky."

Compared to the ruin outside, the Hall looked like absolutely no trouble had struck Camelot – the drapery and ornaments (which couldn't really be called ornaments because they were mainly swords and shields) were immaculate, as was the fine oak dining table that lay on their left. Nothing, however, compared to the sight of the royal King Uther sitting in his throne. Royal – or rather, majestic in his simple crown and his kingly attire. He attempted a smile – trying to cover the worried face that had become permanently etched on his face after Kilgharrah had escaped and attacked Camelot.

"My ladies, Sire, Camelot welcomes you. I apologize for the state you find it in, however – we have just begun to recover from a vicious attack from ," he paused as his voice shook, "a dragon. However, rest assured, you are welcomed with the utmost hospitality. I hope that you will stay with us for a while – but, forgive me asking, what _are_ you doing in Camelot?"

Rose opened her mouth to speak, but the Doctor cut her off, "We were on our way to Ealdor – we recently discovered that there might be someone of great worth living there," _It was Merlin's home town!_ He told them all telepathically.

The young man who had run past them earlier, as his father began twiddling with the fabric on his cloak, said with great authority, "What a coincidence! My manservant is from Ealdor. Merlin! Come over here!" Everyone (in the party)'s mouth dropped open as a shy brown haired boy stepped forward. Rose couldn't stop herself as she screamed, "This isn't THE Merlin is it? The greatest wizard ever known to man?" Merlin shot her a look of horror as the blond haired man laughed.

"Merlin? A wizard? The next thing you'll be saying is that I'm not the Crown Prince of Camelot!"

Donna blurted out, "Crown Prince? You're ARTHUR PENDRAGON?" With that, Uther looked up – why were Arthur and his nobody manservant getting so much attention when _he_ was the King of the damned place! His eyes caught the sight of Donna and a smile came over his face. He hadn't seen anyone so… unique since Katrina (in her human form)! She wasn't the most beautiful, or slender woman he had ever laid his eyes upon, but she was something. A different sort of, casual pretty – with stunning ginger hair and blue-green eyes. There was something about her that was different, it was like there was some hidden intelligence waiting to burst out – and Uther admired an intelligent woman. It meant she was accomplished, and he enjoyed the company of accomplished women.

While the other three of the party were excited at the prospect of meeting Merlin and Arthur, Jack liked his prospects for another reason. He was eyeing Merlin up and down and had just realized that Merlin was actually quite gorgeous! His chocolate brown hair fell shaggily over his face and his big ears were adorable. His thin body frame meant only one thing to Jack – no flab (and that was a _huge_ plus as most of the men in his century weighed over 250 lbs). In the midst of the horror of being outed as a magician, Merlin caught sight of Jack eyeing him and, uncomfortably, shifted his gaze to Jack and saw nothing he could complain about. Jack was clearly the dominating, confident sort – the way he stood simply screamed it. Merlin noticed that his muscles were bursting out of his brown jacket! Trying not to blush, Merlin smiled to himself as he realized that he might get to spend more time with him, as they were both man-servants.

"Sorry, sorry for the interruption, Prince Arthur," said Rose as she tried to make up for her exclamation(s), "it's just, Merlin was the person we were looking for! We've heard that he possesses great talent and he might be able to help us in our quest for the … the … Elven … Strider … Aragorn … Gandalf…" she finished weakly.

"Wrong story!" hissed the Doctor to her as Rose added a, "I know stupid! I just couldn't think of anything at the moment!"

"But Merlin knows _nothing_ other than how to get people into trouble. It's probably _Gaius_ you were looking for – he's the one with the knowledge of ancient things like that," replied Arthur.

"This … ElvenStrider AragornGandalf, it's not a … magical object is it?" questioned Uther – these people, so easily claiming Merlin was a magician clearly did not know about the rules enforced at Camelot. The Doctor glanced at Rose – she had made the ridiculous name up so she could fix the mess! She looked at him for help but all he did was smile back.

"Well, not really … it's believed to have healing powers. You see, though we all hold titles from different places, we all live in Lancelot," Rose felt proud that she had managed to throw in a time-appropriate reference!  
"Lancelot? _Lancelot?_ That's a _person's_ name, Lady Rose. Are you sure you mean _Lancelot_?" Arthur asked her – as he glanced at Gwen. She looked away.

"Oh, aye, I mean, Lancelot recommended us to … come here and ask for Gaius. He mentioned something about a Merlin so I must have gotten confused. We all live in Gondor," she paused – resorting to her Lord of the Rings knowledge once again, "and have been struck with a terrible plague. If we could speak to Gaius sometime tomorrow in the morning, it would of much help! We are, rather tired from our journey and would like to rest."

"Certainly – Arthur, please take care of finding our new guests rooms for the duration of their stay," Uther gently told his son. With a nod, he led them out of the Hall.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

"If you just follow me, Lady Rose and Sir Doctor – do you have a name by any chance?" Arthur posed.

"It's just Doctor!" he grinned. Arthur gave the Doctor a quizzical look but carried on nonetheless.

"Here's your room – I trust it meets the standards of Gondor!" said Arthur (to Rose and the Doctor) as he opened the door.

"Oh, we're not … married," stated the Doctor, as Rose looked disappointed. "Do you have a chamber next door for me to sleep in so the Lady can have this marvelous room?"

Arthur nodded and left Rose to enjoy her double bed.

"Merlin, go find Jacky a servants room to stay in – and if you can't find anything, I'm sure you and Gaius can make room for him!" ordered Arthur as Merlin and Jack slipped away. "This will be your room Sir Doctor –" began Arthur when the Doctor interrupted him again.

With a "Please, just call me Doctor!" the Doctor leapt into his room and landed on his bed. "Ooh, comfy!" he grinned cheekily while clearly enjoying the bouncy nature of his mattress.

Having taken care of Lady Rose, Sir Doctor and Jacky, all that was left was Lady Donna. Before he had left, his father had whispered that he had wanted Lady Donna to sleep in his wing of the castle! Far from unsuspicious, Arthur decided that it was best to comply with his father for the time being.

"Milady, you will be sleeping in the opposite wing of the castle – so if you can please follow me. So, Lady Rose … she's single?" he asked with a little of hope in his voice.

"Arthur m'boy, I'd stay away from that one if I were you – aren't you supposed to be cozy with Guinevere already?" replied Donna.

"Guin-e-vere?" stuttered Arthur. First of all, these strange people knew who _Merlin_ was, and now they knew about Gwen too? "Uh… The only Guinevere I know is Morgana's … sorry, is a servant girl. Are you sure that's who you're talking about because we don't even talk – I don't even know what she looks like!"

"Right… I'm assuming she's the girl that ran in after you in the Banquet Hall," Donna laughed. Arthur blushed and tried to play it cool.

"What girl? There … wasn't an-any girl!" he stammered while quickening his pace. He didn't remember the castle being so large – it seemed to take hours (and multiple questions about Guinevere) to get to Lady Donna's room. Breathing an audible sigh of relief, Arthur showed the Lady into her chamber. Donna squealed with delight – this was far better than sleeping in the TARDIS! In fact, it was even better than the resort she'd stayed at on the planet Midnight (in a beautiful, rustic sort of way), and _that_ was 1st class.

"I didn't know you people lived in such style, or I'd have visited you _much_ earlier," she smiled at Arthur.

"Milady, this is a special suite reserved for the King's personal guests – not even _I_ get to sleep in such luxury," he replied.

"Personal guest? That's … nice," she grinned as she recalled Uther's handsome body.

"Indeed it is – now unless there's something else I can do for you, I take your leave. My personal servant is at your disposal – just call for Merlin," and he bowed out of the room.

* * *

After hearing Arthur tell Merlin that he could keep Jacky in his room, Merlin could barely contain himself with excitement. He had taken Jacky away that precise moment and had decided that he wouldn't even look for a servant's chamber.

"So, I guess we _servants_ have to stick together," smiled Jack (what a charming smile it was!), "I'm Jack, by the way," and he held out his hand.

"Oh, it's not Jacky?" Merlin looked disappointed, "and I know who you are – I heard the introduction," he hesitated, "and I caught you looking at me. Or was that staring? I couldn't really tell the difference."

"Oh, it was definitely staring," Jack replied, a little surprised that Merlin had seen him – but happy nonetheless. This meant they could both cut to the chase. Merlin had stopped to listen to his answer and Jack inched even closer to him (which was difficult, considering the fact that they were in a narrow corridor already). "You didn't mind, did you? I guess not, considering the way _you_ were looking at me."

Merlin could feel Jack's breath on his cheek as his heart started racing.

"Um, no … I can't say that I did. What are you doing?" he yelped as Jack leant in to kiss him. He jumped away and looked a little shocked. "I don't know how it is in Gondor, but _here_, you court someone before … intimacies." Jack nodded as he realized what a fool he'd been – he was in the old ages, and being as forthcoming as he was could cause nothing but problems.

"I'm sorry Merlin – I didn't mean to startle you. I am little too forward – even for Gondor, and I truly apologize. Let's start again, shall we?" Jack asked earnestly. After Merlin nodded, Jack inched away, and with a smile said, "I'm Jack. I hope we get to know each other well during my stay here!"

Merlin smiled his boyish smile, which made Jack's heart thud, "Yes, I hope so too. You're going to have to stay with the court physician – Gaius, my uncle, and I. There aren't any spare chambers available, unfortunately."

"No problem! Lead on, sire," bowed Jack teasingly. Merlin walked past him and led him to his chamber. He opened the door to find Gaius concocting some potion that smelt like a combination of rotten berries; overly-ripe bananas; dung beetles and dog poop – it wasn't very pleasant and both Merlin and Jack started coughing.

"Gaius, what is _that_!" exclaimed Merlin with total repulsion.

Gaius didn't look up but stated, "It's a new remedy I've been working on for the plague – with the Dragon being loose, who knows what new evils will come to Camelot. Anyway, I heard that there were visitors today. I would have come to receive them but I think I've _almost_ made the cure! Either way, I heard they were a bit strange – and from a land that I've-" and Gaius looked up. "Pardon me, Sire, I didn't know that you were here. I didn't mean strange in the … normal sense – here in Camelot, we, uh … use strange as a synonym of interesting! And wonderful!" Jack laughed out loud.

"Gaius, I presume?" Gaius nodded, "Please don't call me Sire. Jack's my name, and servant's my game! It's a bit of a pain but hey, at least I get to visit palaces and meet interesting people!" he glanced at Merlin, who looked away – not wanting Gaius to catch wind of his new found attraction. "And incidentally, it's _you_ we came to seek my friend. But I can't say anything more because it's not my duty to – not that I know anything more anyway! Huh, I sure am talking a lot – can't help it, guess I'm a little nervous in Mer-your presence. I've heard great things about you! Never knew you concocted such … pungent potions though …" and his voice trailed away. Gaius put a lid on the potion and the smell disappeared instantly.

"He's actually going to be staying with us Gaius – we haven't any other spare chambers. And Arthur thought it'd be fit for a servant to stay with a servant …" mentioned Merlin.

"I have no objection to that but, where will he stay? I would offer you my bed, new friend, but I have a backache that requires me to sleep on it. Merlin – you give him your bed, and you can sleep on the floor. There, that was easy enough!" said Gaius, looking pleased with himself. In fact, it was hard to tell who was more pleased – Gaius, or the two young men.

Immediately, Jack stifled a yawn and said, "I appreciate all your hospitality and will find some way to repay you. But we have traveled a long way and I would like to rest now. Goodnight," and he walked into Merlin's room. Smiling, he got into bed.

"What's wrong Merlin? You seem a little distracted," asked Gaius after Jack had left the room.

"It's nothing – well, these people seem to know that I'm a magician! And I don't know _how_ that's possible. You won't believe it, but one of the Ladies said it out loud to Uther himself! I almost died, but then Arthur came to my rescue and denied the allegations. Something's definitely up and I think I'll find out what," Merlin replied.

"Hmm, that is strange indeed – do what you need to do my boy, but, need I say it? Stay out –" Gaius began.

"of trouble!" Merlin finished. "I will – and now I'm tired too! Goodnight Gaius!" and he walked into his room. Merlin wasn't sure what to expect when he walked into his chamber (after, of course, shutting the door behind him) but a small part of him was horrified (yet wanting) that Jack would try to be intimate again. He had never felt that way about anyone before! Not even Freya – and that was a bond, he had thought, which could never be topped. He was disappointed, however, to find Jack sleeping on his bed. He had, in earnest, been hoping to get a conversation going. He got out a spare blanket, a makeshift pillow and began to settle himself on the floor when Jack sat up.

"Finally! I thought you and Gaius were going to be talking forever! I almost _was_ asleep!"

"We just had a couple of things to discuss," mumbled Merlin – not wanting Jack to know about his suspicions.

"Well, _we _have a few things we need to discuss – but you're too uncomfortable on the floor. Just come and sit on the bed," as Merlin shifted around, and then got up to sit on his bed. "That's better. So tell me about yourself Merlin! What are your interests? What do you do in your spare time? Who do you spend time with? Oh gosh, sounds a bit like an interview!" Jack straightened his back, mocking an interviewer.

"Well, I'm a rather boring person really. I spend most of my time attending to Arthur's beck and call – not that I mind _too _much. He can be a bit of a dollop-head but he's good at heart. He'll make a great King one day too! And when I'm not doing that, I'm usually doing chores for Gaius. Huh, I guess I don't really do _anything_ in my spare time! I'm not sure whether I should be embarrassed or happy with my productivity – though if you ask either Gaius or Arthur, they'll probably say 'productive' is the worst word to describe my activities. I do occasionally spend time with Gwen – she's a maid in the castle. She's my best friend, I suppose! How about yourself?" Jack flashed him a smile – Merlin really was the definition of an innocent boy. _Boy_ thought Jack to himself and frowned a little. _Keep your mind off of that for once in your life Jack!_ He thought fervently to himself.

"That's rather nice, actually! Yeah, I guess that's what I do too. But to be honest, I haven't been doing this 'servant' gig for too long. I'm rather lucky in terms of Rose, Donna and the Doctor. Though the Doctor is a bit of a pain in the bum, I know he means well. And well, I don't mind dealing with him as long as I get to look at the two ladies, if you know what I mean!" Jack winked at Merlin.

"Yes, they are quite pretty," agreed Merlin half-heartedly. He wasn't really sure why Jack was talking about pretty girls but pushed the thought aside. He decided to put his 'productivity' to good use and probed Jack about what they were doing here. "Jack, I hope you don't mind me asking, but I've never heard of Gondor – and I wonder what you are _actually_ doing here?"

"Merlin, if I told you, you wouldn't believe me. Suffice it to say that we're travelers and we ended up here by accident. A lucky accident, might I add. As you can tell, we don't really belong here. But we'll try to adjust and be of any assistance. What really happened here? A _dragon_ attacked? That doesn't seem too plausible…" Merlin wasn't too sure how to respond. He decided to tell him parts of the truth.

"Remember how Uther told you that magic is banned in Camelot? You see, before Uther's reign, magic was well integrated into our society. However, during his reign as King, he prosecuted magical people, creatures, entities – anything. Even people who were believed to practice magic – without trial! It led to a lot of hatred and death – as you can imagine. Well, there was the dragon, named Kilgarrah – the last of his kind, actually, and Uther had him imprisoned in a cave below the castle. Uther took a lot of pride in the fact that he held a captured dragon and tortured it, well attempted to, many times. Now, I'm not too sure what actually happened, but this is what I gather. Somehow, Kilgarrah was able to break free – no one knows how – and all hell broke loose. Just think, you've been locked in a cave for years – naturally anyone would want revenge. Well, this was his revenge. Day after day, he attacked Camelot and led to it being in the state it is today. Thankfully, his attack seems to be over. It was a lot worse a few days ago – many of the wounded have been treated, thankfully. Now people are working on restoration efforts, but I don't know how long that'll take. You saw for yourself, there's a _lot_ to restore…" finished Merlin. Jack let out an audible sigh. Merlin smiled sadly, "Camelot seems like a wonderful city and it is. There are a lot of things that go on, under wraps, that people don't realize. Uther's reign has led to a lot of unhappiness – which is partly why I serve Arthur with such devotion. Anyone who knows him can tell that _he_ will be the one to restore Camelot to its true glory. At this point, anyone magical might as well go to a different land or disguise themselves immaculately. You wouldn't believe some of the stories!"

"Wow…" started Jack, "that's a lot to take in. Thanks for filling me in though – really appreciate it. Well, if there really is that much to do here, please let me know if I can be of _any_ assistance – the Doctor wouldn't if I helped out here. I can say that with complete confidence." Merlin grinned – he felt great that Jack, a (weird) stranger, was so willing to help.

"Thanks! I really appreciate – and everyone will too!" he stifled a yawn, "but I think we've been talking for long enough. I have to get up early to help Arthur get dressed! I swear that boy acts like he doesn't know how to do _anything_ on his own…" Jack nodded and playfully kicked Merlin off the bed with an "I'm not sharing, you know!" The two men settled into their respective "beds" and tried to absorb what each had found out. Jack, the disaster of Kilgarrah, and Merlin, the admission from Jack that they didn't belong here.

* * *

Rose lay in bed and tried to sleep – but she couldn't. Her thoughts were utterly and totally consumed with the Doctor. She couldn't believe that she had the chance to have another adventure with him! Maybe this time he could admit his true feelings for her. They both knew the truth – and she had no problems saying it to him. What was it in him that stopped him from saying those three words?

_Maybe it's because he had a wife and children – maybe he feels its not right to love someone else_, she thought. _But he DOES love me …_ Rose tossed and turned until she found a somewhat comfortable position. She closed her eyes and started dreaming about the Doctor. It was a trick that almost always worked with her – she'd pretend they were on a new adventure and had all the time in the world, and by the time the story got to the complicated part, she was already asleep!

_Hmm, where should we go today? Or maybe I should think about Price Arthur – he was quite cute himself! Who am I kidding; the Doctor is the ONLY man I could ever love. Today let's take it easy! We'll go to Blackpool and enjoy the rides and sights there …_ and she drifted off to sleep happily.


	6. Chapter 6

When Rose awoke the next morning, she found herself not in Blackpool. _Was all that a dream?_ _Of course it was_ she thought to herself, _you're in bloody Camelot and thought you were (and wanted to be) in Blackpool? Get yourself out of bed! _She tried brushing her teeth with whatever materials available and changed into a new dress. This one was a rich royal blue, of a similar style and cut to yesterday's dress. She grinned as she looked at herself in the mirror. She opened the door and found the Doctor leaving his room at the precise moment. With his goofy smile, he said,

"Good Morning! I was just coming to wake you! Did you sleep well?"

"Quite well, had a dream that was too good to be true, you know the sort? Well, do Time Lords even dream?" she responded with her own question.

"Eh … it all goes back to wibbly wobbley timey wimey …. A little complicated!" he finished, "But if you do want to know about it, I'd LOVE to talk about the scientific aspect!" Knowing full well that Rose wasn't even the slightest bit interested, he grinned at her as she rolled her eyes. She then grabbed his arm and off they went, to breakfast.

* * *

Donna's awakening had been much more pleasant that Rose's, well in the end anyway! She woke up to someone knocking on her door and had to bite her tongue to stop herself from abusing the person disturbing her sleep. Doctor-Donna definitely wasn't going to get into trouble for the old Donna's lip.

"Who is it?" she asked, as politely as she could.

"Guinevere, ma'am. I have been sent to help you get dressed for the morning," came the prompt reply. No one had _ever_ helped Donna get dressed before, and she was eager for the experience! She didn't have to worry about her hair or anything! Not that she cared that much in the first place … She leapt out of bed, allowed the maid in, and let Gwen get to work.

"Honestly, it's like I'm in some kind of royalty spa or something!" she exclaimed.

"A spa, ma'am?" Gwen asked, perplexed.

"It's this place in Gondor where you get treated like you're the King or Queen of the world! Very calming – you should try it out sometime Gwen!" Donna replied smoothly. Deciding to grill her about her lover (for the sheer purpose of amusement, and curiosity), Donna began, "So, the Crown Prince, eh?" Gwen had been fastening Donna's corset at that moment, and accidentally pulled so hard Donna couldn't breathe.

"Excuse me?" Gwen choked.

"Shouldn't I be the one choking with no breathing space!" Donna said breathlessly. Gwen loosened the strings at the back of the corset, trying to keep a calm face. Her relationship with the Prince was _strictly_ between the two of them (though she was knew that Merlin knew).

"I beg your pardon madam," stated Gwen hoping that Donna would drop the subject.

"It's fine," she smiled, "so how long have you been together? When's the wedding?"

Gwen blushed furiously, and tried to hide her face as she replied, "I don't know what you're talking about my Lady, I attend to the Crown Prince if he needs me to – and that is the extent of our relationship, if you can even call it that. Acquaintance would be a better word to describe it."

"Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight, Arthur said something along the same lines yesterday. I guess you're trying to keep this a secret, which is weird considering you two are _meant_ to be. But then again, I suppose you're keeping this hush because you're a maid and he's … well, Arthur Pendragon. Which reminds me, that wasn't in the original legend was it?"

"Legend, Ma'am?" asked Gwen, trying not to sound too confused.

"Ah, never mind! Thanks a bunch for helping me get dressed! Where shall I leave your tip?" Donna thought out loud.

"Tip, my Lady?" posed Gwen.

"Yeah, you know, my gratitude in monetary form!" Donna grinned as she pulled out a 1 pound coin and shoved it in Gwen's hand. Realizing instantaneously that money from the future couldn't come in contact with people of this age (after all, it was useless here – they only used gold, and it had the date it was made on it), she snatched it right back. "Um, I'll tip you when I leave!"

"Yes Ma'am…" trailed off Gwen. Donna was a little crazy and it was best not to question the strange terms she kept mentioning. _Anything as long as she didn't bring up Arthur again_ thought Gwen. "This way to breakfast, my Lady."


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks for the reviews so far :) I'm really not a writer...just someone with lots of ideas. Sorry for the wait but, here it is! Things are finally starting to get interesting in Camelot... Hope you enjoy!

* * *

The three "royals" enjoyed their breakfast with the King and his son. Jack had eaten with Merlin and stood in the background with him. It was a long meal, aptly timed – it allowed the visitors to get fully caught up on the situation that now befell Camelot. Magic had been banned in Camelot for a significant part of Uther's reign (Merlin's secrecy now made sense to the others) and as part of his final purge, he had captured the last dragon – Kilgarrah. This dragon had recently escaped its prison and had wrecked havoc upon Camelot – destroying a significant part of the Citadel, and killing many civilians and Knights alike. Uther had had a ward – the Lady Morgana, but she had disappeared amongst all the chaos, and there had been no sign of her anywhere. Knights were routinely dispatched to try and locate her – Uther had made it clear that he wouldn't stop until he found her. (While he was talking about Morgana, his eyes teared up and Donna couldn't help but feel his pain and passion. She wanted to jump up and give him a hug – but remembering the time and place, she tried a sympathetic smile that came off as constipated).

"I am surprised as to how I have told you all of my problems … I tend to be a very private person," Uther said.

"Sometimes, it's better to talk to strangers – who knows, maybe they can help after all!" replied the Doctor with a smile.

"Ah, well I have spoken for too long – I will send for Gaius immediately and you can ask him about whatever it is that you needed," said Uther. Rose, feeling a twinge of guilt because of the awful cover story she came up with, spoke up,

"My Lord, I have a confession to make. While we are from the land of Gondor, the purpose of our visit isn't what I made it out to be last night. We are simply traveling and didn't want to impose upon you. We have no business to attend to, and would love to spend the duration of our stay here to help you in your efforts to rebuild Camelot. I hope you can forgive us…" The Doctor smiled at Rose impressively – he figured she'd been planning the speech all last night.

"Ah, that's surprising, though I don't see any need to have come up with a cover story at all. You could have just said you were visitors! Nonetheless, I will not deny any aid you offer – the Lord knows that Camelot needs it," replied Uther. "Now if you will excuse me, I must meet with my council to determine the appropriate steps that need to be taken. Sir Doctor, if you may, you can join Arthur in his efforts – he's in charge of the main reconstruction efforts. Ladies Rose and Donna, are either of you skilled in helping the wounded?"

"Aye Sir, I am," replied Rose.

"Then, if you can please help Gaius, he's overwhelmed with the sick and wounded and would appreciate the hand. Lady Donna, I am sorry, but there seems to be nothing else that needs to be done as of this moment. Please feel free to use Morgana's maid for anything," said Uther.

"My Lord, if I may, in the land of Gondor, there are a few differences – though I am a Lady, I am actually a member of the King's council. In fact, I am well versed in technical and defense strategies. If you will allow it, I would be more than happy to help in that area," spoke Donna.

"That is… surprising indeed. Thank you for the offer but I cannot allow you to sit in with my council – it is a private meeting, and has always been that way. I would however like to consult with you after the meeting is over," responded Uther. Donna nodded swiftly and curtsied her way out of the hall (the others had already left to attend to their various jobs – Jack had followed the Doctor and Arthur, and Merlin had left to take Rose to Gaius.)

* * *

"So, Merlin, I hope you will forgive me for accidentally outing your magic yesterday!" said Rose solemnly.

"What magic? I have none…" replied Merlin.

"Emrys, we all know who you are, for we have heard legends about you! And believe me, there will be legends about you for centuries to come. Your secret is safe with us," Rose said. _Thank GOD I paid attention in class when we learnt about Arthur and Merlin – even if it was 6 years ago. Well, I guess I should thank Arthur for being so good looking or I wouldn't have paid attention …_ thought Rose to herself.

"You… you know my name? Wow … Alright, I thank you for keeping my secret. Under Uther's rule, it is even forbidden to speak of magic – so you understand why I was hesitant to admit it to strangers. Do you have magic? Forgive me, I couldn't sense it of you – but I could sense that Sir Doctor and Lady Donna _might_ possess it. I got a stronger vibe from the Lady, tell me, am I correct?" asked Merlin.

"Well, I don't quite know, to be honest. I suppose we'll find out in due time. Huh… I like you Merlin! You're a lot more adorable than I thought you'd be!" exclaimed Rose.

"Adorable? We're of the same age! Or you can't be that much older than me! I'm not adorable…" mumbled Merlin. He resented being called adorable – it was one of Gwen's favorite adjectives to describe him. Rose laughed, paused for a moment, then spoke,  
"Alright – you're more friendly and easy to talk to than I thought you'd be. It's kind of strange how open I feel with you! I wish you to know that you are perfectly welcome to be so with me … I'm here to listen always!" Merlin smiled,

"So tell me more about the people you're traveling with! Lady Donna, Sir Doctor and Jack?"

"Oh, you know his name is Jack do you?" she asked with an amused look, "should have known he would have wasted no time talking to the cuties. I'm glad Arthur hasn't had a chance to spend some alone time with him," she giggled.

"What do you mean?" asked Merlin, horrified that Jack would "cheat" (though it wasn't really cheating) on him.

"I was just joking," replied Rose, "he's a joker, he is! Gets along well with everyone – oh, and he can't die. Kind of intimidating, right?"

"He can't die? What do you mean?" said Merlin.

"Well, see, we have "magic" of our own, I suppose. Well, not me, nor Jack actually. And then there was this accident and Jack became immortal. Good thing he's on our side actually! Can you imagine what would happen if the enemy had an immortal on their side?" filled in Rose. "The Doctor and Donna are … different. They're not exactly human…"

"I sensed something like that from them! The Lady certainly has magic. I'm not too sure about the Doctor, however. And from you, Lady Rose –" he began.

"Don't call me Lady! Just Rose, short and sweet," she smiled.

"Rose, I sense, I'm not sure. Something intrinsic. I can't quite put my finger on it, but don't you worry, I'll get there soon enough," he finished. _Bloody Hell, he can sense Bad Wolf_, thought Rose to herself. Though she was pretty sure that Bad Wolf had left her, she knew that some part of it still existed – deep, deep in her subconscious.

"Hah, yeah, that's a long story for another time," Rose said, "Are we nearly there? I'm looking forward to meeting this Gaius person. Though I don't know anything about him, he sounds interesting! And Gaius is an attractive name…" Rose was clearly thinking of Battlestar Galactica (the reboot).

"GAIUS?" Merlin almost choked. The thought of his Uncle being attractive was too much for him, "He's my uncle, do you mind? And he's _ooold_. Like, your grandpa old."

"Oh… too bad then!" Rose replied as they came to stop outside Gaius' room. Merlin opened the door only to find Gaius pouring over the same pot and yesterday – with a _much_ worse smell emanating.

"Gaius… again?" he asked faintly. Gaius looked up, covered the pot and said,

"Yes Merlin, _again_. Do you want the citizens of Camelot to suffer just so that I can please your nose? Oh, hello, my name is Gaius – I'm the court physician," he added when he saw Rose.

"Hi, my name is Rose Tyler. It's an honor to work with you – though I'll probably be of no use… Just let me know what you want of me and I'll try my best to do it!" Rose finished sincerely. Gaius smiled at her and began, in depth, to explain to her what he was trying to do – and had Rose working in 10 minutes. Merlin, who was thankful to go unnoticed, slipped out. He wanted to find out more about these strangers – their stories about him seemed a little untruthful. He was about to leave the room when he heard a loud '_MERLIN_' – that could only have been in his head. He jumped, startled. He knew that voice – it was Kilgarrrah. Why Kilgarrah was trying to get in touch with him, Merlin had no idea – but he knew it would be important. '_MERLIN_' came the voice again in his head. Clutching his head to try and stop the pain, he staggered out, following the voice which was, each time it said his name, getting louder.


End file.
